CRM · head to head
Apollo.io vs Twenty
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Apollo.io everything is metered in credits, and the free Starter plan runs on them too, so prospecting volume is capped rather than the feature set; Twenty requires technical expertise to customize and maintain compared to no-code CRM platforms
- They diverge on capability: Apollo.io covers Contact database, Twenty covers Open-Source Framework.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Apollo.io and Twenty actually diverge.
Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (CRM).
What each one covers
Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.
Only in Apollo.io
- Contact database
- Email finder
- Lead search
- Automation
- Engagement tracking
- Reporting
- Salesforce
- HubSpot
Only in Twenty
- Open-Source Framework
- Custom Database Objects
- Multiple View Types
- AI Integration
- Workflow Engine
- Data Migration
- API Access
- Multi-Language Support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Apollo.io
- Sales prospecting and lead generationnot Twenty
- Contact database management for sales teamsnot Twenty
- Email outreach and workflow automationnot Twenty
Twenty
- Building custom CRM solutions for complex business processesnot Apollo.io
- Migrating from Salesforce or HubSpot while maintaining data ownershipnot Apollo.io
- Technical teams needing TypeScript-based customizationnot Apollo.io
- Organizations requiring self-hosted or air-gapped deploymentsnot Apollo.io
- Enterprises combining CRM with AI-powered workflowsnot Apollo.io
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Apollo.io
- Everything is metered in credits, and the free Starter plan runs on them too, so prospecting volume is capped rather than the feature set
- Plans described as unlimited are capped in the fair use policy at 10,000 credits a month for non-paying accounts
- Connecting a mailbox that is not Gmail or Microsoft requires a paid plan
- How many records can be selected at once varies by tier
- Running out of credits means buying more rather than waiting for a reset
Twenty
- Requires technical expertise to customize and maintain compared to no-code CRM platforms
- Self-hosting increases operational overhead and infrastructure costs
- Limited ecosystem of pre-built integrations compared to Salesforce
- Smaller community and third-party extension library than established CRMs
- Enterprise plan requires custom negotiation with no transparent pricing
Pricing, plan by plan
Apollo.io
Free- FreeFree
- Basic contact search
- Limited searches
- Starter$49/month
- Everything in Free
- Advanced search
- Email finder
- Professional$149/month
- Everything in Starter
- Automation
- Advanced analytics
Twenty
Free- Pro$9/month
- Full customization
- Custom apps
- AI Agents
- Organization$19/month
- Everything in Pro
- Row-level permissions
- SAML and OIDC SSO
- Enterprise$null/year
- Everything in Organization
- Single-tenant isolation
- IP allow-listing
Which should you pick?
Choose Apollo.io if
- You need contact database.
- You want to start without paying.
- You also want email finder.
Choose Twenty if
- You need open-source framework.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Self-hosted.
- You also want custom database objects.
Questions people ask
- Is Apollo.io or Twenty better?
- Neither clearly leads. Apollo.io starts at Free and Twenty at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Apollo.io or Twenty?
- Apollo.io starts at Free and Twenty at Free.
- Does Apollo.io or Twenty run on more platforms?
- Apollo.io runs on Web. Twenty runs on Web, Self-hosted.
- Can I use Apollo.io for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Apollo.io best used for?
- Apollo.io is most often used for sales prospecting and lead generation, contact database management for sales teams, email outreach and workflow automation. Of those, sales prospecting and lead generation and contact database management for sales teams are not what Twenty is typically brought in for.
- What can Apollo.io do that Twenty cannot?
- Apollo.io covers Contact database, Email finder, Lead search, Automation. Twenty covers Open-Source Framework, Custom Database Objects, Multiple View Types, AI Integration.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Apollo.io: Does Apollo offer a free plan?
Yes, Apollo offers a Starter plan that is free forever and includes unlimited email addresses for contacts. Gmail and Microsoft email account linking are available on the free plan with limited third-party email account linking.
SourceTwenty: Is Twenty free or paid?
Twenty offers a 30-day free trial without credit card. Cloud plans start at $9 per user per month (Pro) when billed annually, with Organization plan at $19 per user per month.
SourceApollo.io: How does Apollo's credit system work?
Apollo uses a credit-based system for exporting contact data outside the platform. Free and non-paying accounts have a monthly credit limit of 10,000 credits. Paid accounts receive limits based on their plan pricing, calculated as the lesser of annual commit divided by $0.025 or 1 million credits annually.
SourceTwenty: Can I migrate data from Salesforce or HubSpot?
Yes, Twenty supports CSV and API-based migration from Salesforce and HubSpot, with support for 50,000+ records.
SourceApollo.io: How much do trial plans cost on Apollo?
Apollo trial plans include 50 credits and 5 mobile credits to test paid features at no charge. Trial versions do not support non-Gmail/Microsoft email account linking. Upgrades take effect immediately while downgrades take effect at the end of the billing cycle.
SourceTwenty: What programming languages does Twenty support?
Twenty is built with TypeScript and provides a TypeScript-based Apps framework for creating custom extensions.
SourceTwenty: How long does enterprise deployment take?
Enterprise deployment typically takes 1-2 weeks with Onboarding Packs or certified partners.
SourceRelated pages
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- Apollo.io vs Freshsales
- Apollo.io vs Lusha
- Apollo.io vs Streak
- Twenty vs Outreach
- Twenty vs Gong
- Twenty vs Pipedrive
- Twenty vs Seismic
- Twenty vs HubSpot
- Twenty vs lemlist
- Twenty vs Salesforce
- Twenty vs Hunter
- Twenty vs Reply.io
- Twenty vs Snov.io
- Twenty vs Woodpecker
- Twenty vs Bitrix24
- Twenty vs Capsule
- Twenty vs Clari
- Twenty vs Clearbit
- Twenty vs Freshsales
- Twenty vs Lusha
- Twenty vs Streak